Review: Katniss the Cattail (Valerie Frankel)
There are some books that just deserve a permanent home. This is one of them. If
you're a fan of The Hunger Games, you need this book! Period.

When I originally finished The Hunger Games trilogy, I had mixed feelings. I was
a little disgruntled by the quick wrap up in Mockingjay. But now, after reading
Katniss the Cattail by Valerie E. Frankel, I realize how brilliant Suzanne
Collins really is. Oh. My. Goodness.

If you are a fan of The Hunger Games, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of
Katniss the Cattail. Why, you ask? The answer is simple. This book explains the
symbolism throughout the series. Sure, you may think you have already figured
out the majority of the books’ hidden meanings, but let me assure you—you are
wrong. The plant names and “big” symbols are easy to dissect. There is no
challenging that; but did you realize that almost every name in this book has
some link back to Roman civilization? More importantly, to the overthrowing of
Caesar? Amazing stuff.

I devoured this book the moment I opened my mailbox. Everytime I read something
“new” about a character, my brain started turning. I couldn’t help but stop and
think about how a particular character interacted in the book; how they were
described. It makes me want to reread the series with a more critical eye so I
can appreciate the literary genius that is named Suzanne Collins. I do hope the
movies can pull off this subtle characterization. Knowing the history behind the
names really brings a new depth to the characters.

Wondering about what you might find in Katniss the Cattail? Here is a small
sampling of some of the information I found so captivating:

First, I must begin by saying that when my father (who is now hijacking my YA
books before I can read them—note to self: stop taking books to his house when
you visit) saw me watching the trailer for the movie, he stopped and watched it
to. I had goosebumps at the end, but he replied, “That seems very Orwellian.” I
didn’t pay much attention to his ramblings, because he’s always saying stuff
like that (love my nerdy dad). But then I read the books, and I thought: Holy
crap. Obviously this is a dystopian read, but there is more to it. George Orwell
is the author of one of my favorite books, Animal Farm. (I do hope you’ve read
this book!) As the plot of Mockingjay develops, I knew the leaders were
important. District Thirteen’s leader was no saint. The events that followed
were not by chance. Just like in the Orwell classic, “the pigs lead a revolution
to drive out the farmer and run the farm themselves, but soon they elevate
themselves over their fellow animals, becoming indistinguishable from the
farmers in the end. Here is the true danger of power… The lesson in both series
is clear: Absolute power corrupts absolutely; those who conquer tyrants will
soon become tyrants themselves” (Frankel 79). Brilliant. Now be honest, when you
read Mockingjay, were you thinking about Animal Farm? Seems like I should listen
more closely to the ramblings of a middle aged man. Oh, and I’m not even going
to start explaining the similarities between the Capitol’s lifestyle and
Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World!

There is also a hint of mythology in The Hunger Games. (I’ll be honest, I
didn’t recognize this one.) Apparently, Collins has explained in interviews that
the Hunger Games themselves were inspired by the story of Theseus. As the story
goes, every nine years, seven Athenian boys and seven Athenian girls would be
sent to Crete as Tribute for the Minotaur to devour. Theseus volunteered to be
placed with the Tributes, and killed the Minotaur (Frankel 80). Does the plot
sound familiar?

I don’t want to give away all the gems in this book, but these two I found to be
pretty interesting. Katniss the Cattail is divided into three sections: The
names of Panem, symbols, and literary allusions. The symbols were pretty
straight forward, but the allusions and historical value of the names were
insightful. The author has done a fabulous job of putting together the research.
When a great work of fiction presents itself, it only makes sense to view it
under a critical literary lens. I know The Hunger Games is being taught in
classrooms across the country because I have friends that are teaching the book
to their students. At first I worried that it would be too graphic or gory for
the censorship hounds, but after reading about the plethora of literary devices
used in the novels, it only makes sense to teach these books. Get your copy here
for a mere $7. =)

If you’re interested in other books by Valerie Frankel, she has written several
on the Harry Potter series and one titled From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine’s
Journey in Myth and Legend. You can also find her on her website http://vefrankel.com
.

Full of thought provoking observations, Katniss the Cattailis a quick, clean
read for any fan of The Hunger Games trilogy. It provides the historical and
scientific background of the names of people, places, and symbols in the series
as well as their links to other well known literature (Plato, Shakespeare,
etc...). Frankel also provides some very interesting and convincing speculations
as to the relationship between the names and the messages of the story itself.
Readers who have not read the entire series should be aware that this book
contains spoilers as it is analyzing the series as a whole.

Having previously read The Hunger Games and wondered about the hidden
meanings in the text, I found this book to be enlightening. It left no doubt
that a significant amount of effort and time was put into decoding a great
story. I actually went back to reread The Hunger Games and it was like Katniss
the Cattail cleared up a lot of issues I previously had with the novel. This
book made things easier to understand and more enjoyable to read. Although this
book is short, I found it made its points clearly and efficiently. I would
highly recommend this book to others interested in discovering the hidden
meanings of The Hunger Games.

Katniss the Cattail is an encyclopedia and guide on names
and symbols in The Hunger Games trilogy. Frankel goes through each character's
name in great detail and what things influenced the naming and personality of
the character. It also goes through the many symbols in the books, such as
bread, Snow's roses, and dandelions and what they each represent. Frankel is
very detailed with her explanations and touch on various influences from
Shakespere to The Wizard of Oz. The majority of the characters are inspired by
Shakespeare, which Frankel explains in her book. My favorite section of the book
was Frankel's descriptions of the symbols. I learned that nightlock was not a
real berry and that Prim's nickname duck, alludes to her being very resourceful.
I also liked that Frankel uses many quotes from the three books and other
sources to back up her descriptions.

I gave this book two different grades. I gave it a B- for
those that are not super fans of The Hunger Games. It was interesting to read,
but I can see how non-fans would not enjoy the book. It was very well researched
and it was obvious that Frankel had taken a lot of time and effort to write this
book. I gave the book an A for Hunger Games fan. This is a must read for those
who are obsessed with the trilogy. It gives the reader a new perspective on the
characters and the symbols throughout the books. If you have read the trilogy
cover to cover, have seen the movie, and are still looking for something to feed
your Hunger Games soul, then this is the perfect book for you!

From Alma Coin to York, from bows and arrows to Snake, and
a thorough discussion of Katniss, Peeta and Gale, this book provides historical
and literary background information on everyone and everything you could imagine
from the books. Civil War admirals, Roman leaders, Persian kings and those made
famous by Shakespeare's plays fill its pages. You'll soon discover the
characters of Panem mean a lot more than their odd-sounding names.

Frankel also provides information on "Allusions to Literature and Life,"
discussing dystopia, history, Greek and Roman mythology and reality TV. The
final pages of the book include a list of names by origin and the districts and
their products.

This is a superb book for any lover of The Hunger Games series. It would also be
an excellent resource for writers, showing the importance of carefully
considering the names of their characters. Be warned, however, this book
contains many spoilers, so it's a good idea to finish the series before reading
it.

Katniss the Cattail is a reference guide to wildly popular
Hunger Games trilogy. (by Suzanne Collins) The author gives an encyclopedic
style listing of the meanings of the characters names, plants, place names...
All pertinent information from the book is listed in this short book. I'm not
certain if Ms. Collins meant her books to be over analyzed, but many of the
names fit the personalities of the characters.
If you are a Hunger Games lover, this book is a fantastic reference.